The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-08-03

In other words. with a total vote of less
than twenty-eight thousand, ten members of
congress were chosen to represent the state
of Georgia, and to WELD as much power in
shaping national legislation as any ten con-
gressmen from Ohio and other states. who
were chosen upon q total vote of 100000.
The following comments on these figures,
taken from the columns of the Inter ocean,
are sufficient to convince any reasonable
person that popular elections in the state of
Georgia have degenerated to he the merest
farce
1t is interesting to compare these figures
of 1886 with some anterior ones. In 1872
the republican vote of the first district of
of Georgia was G,979 and in 1875 it was
6,714; the democratic vote for 1872 was
1919, and for 1875 it was 11,252. In 1875
ballot stufing was Charged: later years de-
veloped the intimidation policy. by which
6,714 republican votes were annihilated and
by reason of which only 2,06l out of posi-
bic 5000 of democrats think it worth while
to keep up the form of an election The re-
publican vote of the second district was
9.7S9 in 1875 and about that in 1872. The
republican vote of the third district was
$3.50 in 1875. In the fourth district ii was
S,466 in 1872: in 1875 it had entirely disap-
peared and has never had place on the tally
sheets since. The republican vote of the
fifth district was 10,910 against 1861 dem
ocratic in 1872; this old-time republican
majority is not now represented by solitary
voter in the district 1t is so in every dis
trict of the state, republicanism has ceased to
appear as political factor. 1t is ridiculous
to talk of honest elections with such figures
before one. 1t is utterly impossible that
party with such vitality as the republican
party should have utterly persisted. Even
copperheadism made better showing in the
North during the war time than republican
ism is now allowed to make in states where
half the voters owe their political existence
TO il.
Mr.. FORAKER squarely meets and refutes
the charge made by the democratic party
that the republican party is responsible for
this state of affairs. He says:
If it be said that the republican party did
not stop these outrages when it was in power
the answer is that If has not been in power
in the sense of controlling the legislative
branch of the government. as well as the ex-
ecutive, since March 18th. 1875 and the true
situation was not comprehended long enough
prior to that time TO admit of either the
country or the party becoming educated to
the stern necessities of the case.
| But there are those who claim that il does
not matter which party may be in power, for
the reason that there is no authorized remedy
for such wrongs. If there be no provision
to meet such case, then the reason becomes
all the more urgent for the services of a
party that can and will devise a way to cor
/ rapf ci1nh ohncao nd fhno
ment from another wrench of violence that
will otherwise surely and speedily come. In
he meantime, it should be remembered that
the general government formerly had an
| acknowledged right to go into any state or
territory to hunt down fugitive slave and
can now go anywhere TO collect the tax on
whiskey and tobacco, draft man into the
army to protect it. regulate the management
of railroads and do hundreds of other things
necessary and appropriate to our welfare. Is
il possible that our government can do all
these things and yet the suppression of
million votes be a wrong without remedy?
If so, the constitution Is SANDER on the
fathers who made it and another amendment
is in order. AT any rate, if we would have
peace in this country these crimes must be
stopped, and not only must the perpetrators
of them be treated as criminals, but every
man must be held equally guilty who lends
encouragement to such wrongs 10y whining
about sectionalism and "bloody shirt and
insisting that such political villainies must
be let alone"
This question of the freedom and purity
of the ballot is not by any means the only
argument urged, and urged in most logical
and convincing manner, why the republican
party should be returned to power, but this
matter is given precedence over all others,
as upon it hinges the safety and perpetuity
of the country and the very existence of the
government itself.
This article of Governor FoRAKER's may be
regarded as sounding the keynote of tho
approaching presidential campaign and from
it, il may reasonably be inferred that stall
wart out-spoken republicanisrn will be de-
cidedly at premium in 1888.